Many know about the useful properties of ordinary pine needles, and in the recipes of traditional medicine, needles are widely used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases. The product is the main ingredient in healing tea, many decoctions and tinctures, but you need to use all these drugs with caution so as not to harm your health. A description of the vitamin composition and medicinal properties of needles, the rules for the collection and storage of raw materials, the best recipes for potions from the green mass of conifers and possible contraindications are discussed further in the article.

Composition of pine needles

Pine needles are a source of many chemical compounds, therefore they are a valuable "supplier" of vitamins, micro and macro elements.

The composition of the needles includes such substances:

• vitamin C;
• vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B6, P, PP, K, H, E;
• essential oils (turpentine);
• carotene;
• Proteins
• volatile;
• Fe;
• Mn;
• Cu;
• starch;
• resinous substances;
• beneficial acids (oleic, stearic, benzoic, etc.);
• tanning compounds.

Did you know? The world's oldest pine tree is over 4840 years old. The tree grows in California (USA) in the Inio National Forest.

Healing properties

Due to its rich chemical composition, pine needles have a number of properties useful to humans.

• Using the product has a therapeutic effect on the human body, namely:
• contributes to the separation of sputum in colds accompanied by wet cough;
• relieves inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
• acts as a natural diuretic and choleretic agent;
• disinfects, killing harmful microflora;
• enriches the body with vitamins, thereby strengthening the immune system;
• relieves pain cramps;
• helps to lower blood pressure;
• beneficial effect on the work of the heart and the state of blood vessels;
• It is a natural sedative, eliminates neurosis;
• helps to cleanse the blood, stops bleeding;
• improves skin condition, providing anti-aging effect;
• removes toxins, toxins;
• promotes wound healing;
• effectively fights cancer cells;
• beneficial effect on the reproductive system.

Oncology treatment

The high content of nutrients allows the use of needles in folk medicine for the treatment of cancer.

Important! Fresh pine needles can be kept in the freezer. This method allows you to maintain the freshness of the product for several months.

To help the body fight cancer, it is recommended to make such a coniferous drink:

1. Rinse 50 g of young pine needles. Finely chop them with a knife or scissors.
2. Pour raw materials with 2 glasses of water, put on a stove.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, cook it over moderate heat for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the drink from the heat, cover the stewpan with a lid. Insist for about 2 hours. Strain, add a little sugar or honey.

To use such a drink for the treatment of cancer, you need 0.5 cups up to 4 times a day. The course of treatment lasts 4 months, after which they take a break for 30 days.

Stomach diseases

Folk remedies of their pine needles help to reduce acidity and eliminate heartburn.

In order for the unpleasant sensations in the stomach to disappear, you can brew such a drink:

1. Finely chop 2 tbsp. l washed needles.
2. Pour raw materials into the teapot. Brew needles by pouring 250 ml of hot water into a container.
3. Leave the tea to cool in the teapot at room temperature.
4. Strain the cooled drink. You can add honey or sugar.

To eliminate heartburn and belching, such tea is drunk one cup 2-3 times a day. After the disappearance of pain, the reception is stopped.

Joint diseases

Pine needles can be used for radiculitis, arthritis, osteochondrosis. The product helps to get rid of pain and relieves swelling around the joint.

Important! With radiculitis from pine branches make a medical compress. The needles are steamed in boiling water, and then applied to a sore spot for 15–20 minutes.

For the treatment of joints, you can use this recipe:

1. Put 1.5 kg of freshly cut pine branches in a deep bucket.
2. Pour boiling water into a container of 10 liters. Allow the mixture to cool slightly at room temperature.
3. Pour the resulting therapeutic infusion into a separate container (it should be warm, but not too hot).

Extremities with “problematic” joints are immersed in a container with a prepared product for 15–20 minutes. You can make warm coniferous baths daily.

For sight

Due to its high vitamin A content, pine needles can be used to improve vision.

In folk medicine, such a recipe for a medicinal decoction is widely known:

1. Measure out 5 tbsp. (with a hill) washed and chopped needles. Fold the product in a saucepan.
2. Pour needles with 500 ml of boiling water. Put the stewpan in a water bath, covering it with a lid. Soak for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the container from the stove. Give the broth to infuse for 10-12 hours, strain.

To improve visual acuity, the resulting product is taken 1 tbsp. after eating 3-4 times a day. The course of treatment is 5-6 days, and after a week's break, the reception can be resumed.

Pine needles in folk medicine

In folk medicine, pine needles are used to treat a wide variety of diseases. Healing infusions, decoctions and even jam are prepared from fresh needles. For external use, medicinal ointment and fragrant coniferous baths are suitable.

Video: pine conifer tea

Tinctures

To increase the tone of the body, strengthen immunity, cure colds and anemia, it is recommended to take medicinal tinctures from pine needles. They can be prepared using ordinary water or alcohol.

Water tincture is prepared as follows:

1. Finely chop 400 g of fresh or dried needles. Fold the product in a clean glass container.
2. Pour 500 ml of water into the container. Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
3. Stir the contents of the can, cover it with a lid.
4. Place the container in a cool, dark place for 3 days so that the medicine is infused.

In the presence of the above indications, drink take 200 ml per day for 5 days. A second course of treatment is carried out after a week.

Did you know? The world's tallest conifers are the Lambert pines. They grow in North America and can reach 80 m in height.

For the treatment of colds, as well as for the prevention of infection during epidemics of viral infections, use alcohol infusion of pine needles, prepared according to this recipe:

1. Grind 250 g of needles, fold the product into a glass container.
2. Pour 500 ml of vodka into a container, mix.
3. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for 10-14 days. Every day, containers with tincture should be well shaken so that the ingredients are evenly mixed.
4. Filter the finished product through a sieve or gauze.

It is recommended to drink alcohol tincture for 20 hours for 1 hour. 3-4 times a day. A second course can be applied after 7 days.

Decoctions

Pine needles can be used to prepare medicinal decoctions that are used to treat cough, strengthen the heart muscle and cleanse blood vessels, and reduce high blood pressure. Such drugs improve immunity and help with vitamin deficiency, and also contribute to the complex cleansing of the body of harmful substances.

Did you know? Swamp pines have the longest needles in the world. The length of the needles in these trees is 40–45 cm.

The prescription for a medicinal cough decoction is presented below:

1. Rinse 30 g of needles, put in a small saucepan.
2. Boil 500 ml of milk in a separate container. Add it to the pine needles.
3. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring constantly with a spoon.
4. Remove the stewpan from the stove, cover. Let the broth brew for about 2 hours. Strain, add 1 teaspoon of honey.

A decoction of pine needles in milk is useful to drink during a cold 3 times a day. The drug is consumed after meals in portions of 100-150 ml. With normal tolerance, it is taken until complete recovery. To improve the functioning of the organs of the cardiovascular system and the treatment of hypertension, a decoction of needles and rose hips are used.

It is prepared as follows:

1. Mix in a small saucepan 5 tbsp. washed needles and 3 tbsp. dried whole rose hips.
2. Add to the container 2.5 tbsp. husks of onions and 1 liter of boiling water.
3. Put the pan with all the ingredients on the stove, boil the mixture.
4. Cook the broth on moderate heat for 10 minutes, then remove it from the stove and cover.
5. Allow the product to infuse for 12 hours, strain.

You need to drink such a medicine 3 times a day, 100 ml for 4 months. A second course of treatment is prescribed after a break of 30 days.

Ointment

In addition to funds for internal use, a therapeutic ointment can be made from needles. It promotes wound healing, improves skin condition, relieves joint pain and can be used to treat hemorrhoids and herpes.

Recipe for coniferous ointment:

1. Cut 500 g needles with a knife or scissors. Boil the product in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.
2. Lay the coniferous mass in layers in a clean container, alternating needles with layers of butter (it will need about 200 g).
3. Cover the container with foil and place in a preheated oven. Keep the mass at a temperature of 100 ° C for about 6 hours.
4. Strain the resulting mixture, pour into a separate container and leave at room temperature until completely cooled.

The ointment from the needles is rubbed into damaged or painful areas of the skin several times a day. The procedure is repeated until the wounds are completely healed.

Coniferous baths

To treat joints and normalize metabolism, you can take a warm bath with the addition of coniferous broth. This procedure relieves fatigue, helps to get rid of nervous disorders and promotes weight loss.

Important! When taking a conifer bath, the water level should be below the area of ​​the heart. Otherwise, an increase in blood pressure and a rapid heartbeat is possible.

Coniferous broth is prepared from 1 kg of chopped needles and 3 l of boiling water. The ingredients are mixed, simmered for about 10 minutes. The resulting mixture is infused under a lid for 4 hours, and then poured into a bath with warm (about + 38 ° C) water. Take a conifer bath no more than 20 minutes, and the course of treatment lasts 10 days.

Needles jam

In addition to decoctions and infusions from pine needles, you can make vitamin jam. It enriches the body with beneficial substances and helps fight various inflammatory processes.

The recipe for coniferous jam.

1. Rinse and chop 2 glasses of pine needles with a blender. Pour them with 1.5 liters of boiling water.
2. Add to the mass 1 glass of dried rosehips. Allow the product to infuse for 10 hours.
3. Strain the resulting mixture, pour it into the pan. Put the container on the stove.
4. Add 0.5 kg of sugar, mix. Boil the mass, simmer for about 60 minutes, stirring it with a spoon.
5. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking add the juice of one lemon. Stir the jam and remove it from the heat.

The cooked delicacy is recommended to be consumed in a small amount (1-2 tsp) with tea.

Video: how to cook jam from pine cones or needles

Cosmetic use

Various cosmetics are prepared from pine needles that help improve the condition of the skin and hair, providing a rejuvenating and strengthening effect. Manufacturers of creams and lotions often add needle extract to their products, and at home, pine needles are used to make masks and decoctions.

Did you know? In ancient Egypt, pine resin was used to embalm corpses. Its bactericidal properties were preserved even after several millennia.

The main ways to use the product in home cosmetology are listed below:

• to eliminate dandruff it is recommended to rinse the hair with coniferous broth after each washing (the recipe for its preparation is presented above in the article);
• to strengthen weak hair, you need to boil in water 2 cups of crushed pine needles (cook for an hour), and then mix the strained, cooled mass with egg white and a few drops of cognac. The product is applied to dry hair, wrap your head with a thick towel and hold the mask for 40 minutes, and then wash it off using shampoo;
• to improve complexion and tone skin prepare a vitamin mask of 30 g of needles, 3 tbsp. honey and 1 tbsp. olive oil. All ingredients are mixed, and the resulting mass is applied to the face and neck, kept for 10-15 minutes, and then washed off with warm water. Use the tool is allowed up to 2 times a month;
• to smooth wrinklesuse a compress mask of 100 g of pine needles and 500 ml of milk. The ingredients are mixed in a saucepan, cooked for half an hour (from the moment of boiling the mixture), and then filtered and allowed to cool completely. Gauze is impregnated with the resulting mass and applied to the skin in the form of a compress for 10-15 minutes, repeating the procedure 2 times a week.

Pine needles for the garden

Pine needles can be prepared not only for therapeutic purposes, but also used as mulch, as well as natural fertilizer for the garden. Using this top dressing can significantly increase crop yields, improve soil condition and accelerate plant growth.

Did you know? On the territory of South Asia grows a special kind of pine - Bunge. A distinctive characteristic of the tree is the white color of the bark.

To prepare compost from pine needles, the following algorithm of actions is followed:

1. In a compost pit lay layers of needles, fallen leaves and plant debris. All ingredients are recommended to be taken in equal quantities.
2. On top of each coniferous layer, pour a good layer of ash, ground limestone or chalk.
3. Pour the formed compost heap abundantly with urea solution (200 grams of substance will be needed for 10 liters of water).
4. Cover the pile with foil to maintain the required temperature. Raise the film periodically and mix the mass.

The fertilizer will be ready for use in about 1.5 years. In this case, the compost will turn dark brown and acquire a characteristic “mushroom” smell.It is embedded in the soil according to the recommendations for growing each type of garden plants. If there is no time to compost, you can use liquid fertilizer from pine needles.

It is prepared according to this recipe:

1. Grind needles, fold it into a large metal container, leaving a few centimeters to the edge.
2. Pour needles with water, put the container on fire.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, cook it over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the container with the decoction from the stove. Allow the fertilizer to infuse for 2-3 days.
5. Strain the mass, pour liquid top-dressing in bottles and put into a dark cellar or basement.

Liquid fertilizer from pine needles. The resulting fertilizer is used to water plants in the country, mixing it with clean water in a ratio of 1:10. The amount of fertilizing and the frequency of its application depends on the recommendations for growing a specific garden crop.

• The benefits of pine needles for the garden are as follows:
• protects the soil surface from freezing;
• the smell repels many pests;
• helps maintain optimal moisture on the soil surface;
• does not contain toxic substances;
• prevents weed growth;
• well passes moisture and air to the horses of plants;
• contains volatile, preventing the appearance of fungal diseases.

• The few harmful properties of needles include:
• the product can inhibit plant growth;
• increases the acidity of the soil during decomposition.

When to pick pine needles

Pine needles can be collected in the forest throughout the year, but most of the vitamins and nutrients are found in young shoots that have reached the age of 2-3 years. It is recommended to harvest such needles from the end of October until December. The collection should be carried out in ecologically clean regions, which are located away from busy motorways and industrial enterprises.

Video: collection and harvesting of needles of spruce and pine

How to store

Fresh pine needles can retain maximum benefit only during the first two weeks after harvest. In the cold, they can be stored in this form for up to 60 days, and for longer storage, the collected branches are pre-dried in a warm room with good ventilation.

Important! In order not to harm the pine tree, it is allowed to take no more than two coniferous branches from one tree. They are carefully cut (at an angle) with a sharp knife, avoiding breaks.

After that, the needles are folded into fabric small-sized bags, cardboard boxes or glass containers and cleaned in a dark place. The dried product can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 years.

Contraindications

Before using the listed traditional medicine for treatment, you need to consult your doctor.

• It is also not recommended to exceed the indicated dosages, as with the abuse of drugs from needles negative symptoms may occur:
• digestive upset;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache;
• an allergic reaction to the skin (redness, rash, itching);
• deterioration in overall health;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

• The main contraindications for the use of medicines based on needles are listed below:
• any trimester of pregnancy;
• lactation;
• acute hepatitis and other serious liver diseases;
• stomach ulcer or gastritis;
• acute inflammatory processes in the body;
• infectious skin diseases;
• allergy to conifers;
• acute kidney disease, accompanied by an inflammatory process;
• heart failure;
• circulatory disorders, thrombosis.

Subject to the indicated dosages and recommendations for use, alternative medicines from pine needles can have a positive effect on the body and help cure many diseases.

Important! You can not give drugs based on needles to children under 7 years. Essential oils found in needles can cause an allergy in a child.

When using the above drugs, you need to monitor your well-being and, in the event of negative symptoms, immediately consult a doctor.